Can Eating Tomatoes or its Seeds Cause Kidney Stones?

Tomatoes are widely used in India as salad, to complement curries, vegetables and in ketchups. They enhance the taste of Indian dishes especially breakfast items.

Some people think that consumption of tomatoes or its seeds leads to the formation of kidney stones. Here we will discuss whether they can cause kidney stones or not and the effects they have on our body.

To understand the link between tomatoes and kidney stones, we have to understand what kidney stones are

About Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are small hard deposits of minerals and acid salts that are formed inside our kidneys. They are solid pieces resembling stones. Oftentimes, they cause so much pain when they pass through urinary tract but they rarely cause permanent damage. Stones that are small can be treated with personalized and specific diet. But bigger stones need treatments like extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy in which shock waves are used to break the stones. In some cases, even surgery is needed.

Can Eating Tomatoes or its Seeds Cause Kidney Stones?

This is the question which strikes almost everybody's mind as tomatoes are linked with kidney stones. Because of this, many people have fear about the effects they have on their body.

The reason behind this is that the foods rich in oxalate can cause kidney stones and tomatoes contain oxalate. But the quantity of oxalate in tomato is too low to cause kidney stones. They do not harm until they are consumed in huge quantity every day. So, setting up a link between tomatoes and kidney stones will be a long shot.

Advice for People Already Suffering from Calcium Stones:

Almost 75% of kidney stones are calcium stones. The oxalate combines with calcium and forms these stones. People suffering from calcium stones are advised to regulate the consumption of tomatoes as excess amount of oxalate can harm their kidneys. But limited consumption of tomatoes is safe.

Can Eating Tomato Seeds Cause Kidney Stones?

Some people believe that seeds of tomatoes and other fruits get solidified in the kidneys. As a result, kidney stones are formed. This is purely a myth. When we consume tomatoes, they travel through our stomach and digestive system. In this way, the nutrients from them are absorbed into our system. The cells lining our intestinal tract absorb the fluids from tomatoes and then the fluid enters our bloodstream. After that, our blood gets filtered through our kidneys and extra water then moves to the bladder where it is excrete as urine. So, it is not possible for seeds of tomatoes to get stuck in the kidneys.

Sometimes we are blinded by some myths about certain food items. But Before jumping to any conclusion, we should do some research and know the actual facts behind these myths.

We should not avoid consuming tomatoes because of the oxalate present in them. Tomatoes are packed with nutrients and have numerous health benefits. They are good for our bones, eyes, heart, skin and hair. Tomatoes contain antioxidants and anti-cancer properties and have the power to reduce the damage caused by smoking.

Most of the fruits and vegetables are healthy if we take them in the correct quantity. Same is case with tomatoes! They are super healthy for our health when added correctly in our diet.